Commission responds to new report on transgender equality

Published: 14 Jan 2016

Following the publication of a new report on transgender equality by the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee, Jackie Driver, Lead Director for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:

'We welcome today’s landmark report on transgender equality. Despite the marked progress that has been made towards achieving equality for trans people, prejudice and barriers still remain. Many of the report’s recommendations reflect issues highlighted in our recent equality and human rights review 'Is Britain Fairer?' This found significant gaps in data relating to the lives of transgender people, meaning that the issues they face risk being invisible.
Research shows that trans people can be targeted for hate crimes up to 50 times a year, with only 3 in 10 reporting the incidents. We’ve been working with 35 LGB and T organisations across the country to tackle the under-reporting and improve how criminal justice agencies respond to these crimes.
The importance of a strong, comprehensive and coherent strategy to lever progress on the issues facing trans people cannot be under-estimated and we agree with the report’s conclusion that the trans community should be fully consulted, including in the development of a new hate crime action plan. We look forward to working with the Committee, Government and the trans community to make progress on the issues identified in this report as a matter of urgency.'